Flume and ditch lining



Aug. 22, 1939. R. ADLER FLUME AND mrcn LINING Filed June 18, 1938 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor WWW AZ rn/ays R. ADLER FLUME AND DI'I'CH LININGAug. 22, 1939.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 18, 1938 M ll Illl H b AZZ'O 71/0213 Aug.22, 1939. v ADLER 2,170,671

FLUME AND DITCH LINING ,Filed June 18, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 PatentedAug. 22, 1939 V p STATES PA ENT OFFICE- anomi I FLUMIE AND nrrcn LININGRobert Adler, St. rain. 'Miiiii Application June 18, 1938, Serial No.214,497

' w s clai ms. (c1. 61- 14' This invention relates to a sheet metalflume in another. As best shown in Fig. 4, integral and ditchliningparticularly although not exflanges I4 extend obliquely out and downfrom clusively adapted for use in controlling the flow each of thelongitudinal-side edges of the chanof surface water andpreventing'washouts along nels I2. In use, these flanges afford bafflesand the edges of the cuts, down the back slopes and anchorage, beingcovered by' shallow fills" l5 of 5 along theditches of newly'gradedroads. earth-which direct surface Water intothe chan- Itis an objectofthis invention to provide a nels. The extreme outer margins of theflanges novel Water conduit of this class with means for I4 arepreferably folded back-upon the flanges effectively anchoring it in softground and for for reinforcement and to eliminate excessive guardingagainst the undermining of the strucsharpnesswhich-might cause injury inthe in- --ture' while directing surface water into the stallationandhandling of the channel sections. conduit. Strong lapjoints are formedat'the junctions Another object is to provide an open, sheet of thechannel sections by overlapping and nestmetal flume constructed in"sections for conveniing the end-beads l3 and by employing an-arcuateenthandling and having novel means for forming tension rod I6 engagingthe outer surface of the 15 strong, Water-tight joints between sections.outer beadand confining the lap joint against a 'A' further object is'to provide "a sheet 'metal cross bar I8. -Threaded-ends are formed onthe flume and ditch'lining withnovel means for "re-' rod I6 and theseendsare inserted through perinforcing and anchoring it at intervals.forations ll in the flanges 14 and project through A still furtherobject'is to provide a conduit of perforations in the bar I8. Nuts l9are tightened 20 -this class with novel inlets and outlets whereby, onthe ends ofthe rod=-l6 and against the top of the'undermining or Washingaway of the soil be the bar l8 to -draw the abutting surfaces of theneath the conduit is effectively guarded against; channels I2 tightlytogether. The bar I8 projects Other objects will; appear and be morefully obliquelydownward across the upper surfaces of pointed ont in thefollowing specification and the flanges I4 and has downwardly projecting25 claims, ends 20 for attachment to anchoring stakes -2l.

Referring to the drawings: These stakes are driven into the ground andare Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a typical secured to theends20 of the bar I8 by bolts 22 arrangement of my improved flume and ditch(Fig. 5). It-will be evident that the rod I6, bar

lining on a back slope and along a ditch or cut; I8' and a pairof-thestakes 2I extend in a common 30 Fig. 2 is a plan view of'oneof thestraight secvertical plane with the beads I3 at the joint betions of myfiume; tween channel sections and each channel I2 may Fig. 3 is a partside elevation and part longialsoibe reinforced andanchored-intermediateits tudinalsection of the flume shown in Fig; 2; ends-bya similararrangement of arcuate rod, Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectionshowcross barandstakes. I 35 ingty'pical joints, baffle Wall and thereinforcing 'At-an-occasional-joint along the flume, I place andanchoring means of my invention; a baflle Wa1l23-(Figs. 4,6 and '7).This Wall ex- Fig. 5- is a cross section showing the flume as tendsvertically down from the joint and has it is installed and beforetightening of the tension integral- Wing" portions 24 which project at erod; 1 g I sides of the'channels and obliquely in an up- 40 Figs. 6 and7 are plan and end views respecstream direction so that in the eventthat surface tively of one of the baffle walls; I water tends to workunder the side edges of the Figs. 8 and 9 are plan and end viewsrespecflanges I4, it is prevented from finding a channel tively of oneof the head'walls for directing suralong the flume--and is directed intothe time face Water into the flume, and when it meets one of thesebaille-walls. A short 45 Figs. 10 and 11 are plan and end views respecattachingstri-p 25, having a cross sectional shape tively of one of theflaring outlet basins for the like that Of the Channels J Welded t0 thepp flu'me. edge of the wall 23. a The strip 25 is formed with Referringparticularly to Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5, the a bead 26 tofit in nestingrelationship to the beadsflume proper is constructed from open channelsI3 of thejoint and flanges 21 to overlap the 50 I2 of arcuate crosssectional shape, formed at flanges I l of the channels I2. The wings 24have intervals with reinforcing beads I3 extending slots 28 above theflanges 21 to receive the flanges crossways. The channels are made insections, I4 and these Wings are also formed with laterally each aboutten feet in length and the curvature projecting flanges-29 along theirupper and outer .55 is such as to permit the nesting of onesectionedges; The baflie wall is secured in place ata run-off of surface Waterinto the flume.

joint, as indicated in Fig. 4 by confining the attaching strip 25between the overlapping ends of the adjoining sections of the channelsI2, with the tension rod I6 upon the exterior of the joint compressingthe several arcuate, overlapping members together.

To direct water into the inlet end of the channel 12, I provide the headwall 30, shown in Figs. 8 and 9. This head wall is generally similar tothe baffle wall 23 and has vertically extending wings 3i projecting atthe side edges and obliquely in an upstream direction. An attachingstrip 32 similar to the strip 25 is welded to the upper edge of the wall30 and has integral flanges 33 perforated to receive the ends of one ofthe tension rods I6. The wings 3| have horizontal flanges 34; alongtheir upper edges and vertical flanges 35 integral with their outeredges and extending perpendicular to the axis of the flume. The headwall is joined to the receiving end of one of the channels l2, asindicated in Fig. l, and to further aid in directing Water into theflume, a fan-shaped apron 36, preferably constructed from asphalt, isformed between the wings 3i and adjoining the outer, end surface of thehead wall.

As shown in Figs. 10 and 11, I provide a flared outlet basin 3'!constructed from sheet metal and having an integral strip 38, like theattaching strips 25 and 32, for securing the basin 3! to the outlet endof the flume. Flanges 39 project obliquely down and out from the sideedges of the basin 3? and along the outlet extremity of this basin is abafile wall 40 having wing extensions 4! to anchor the end and guardagainst the washing away or undermining of the earth beneath the apron.As shown in Fig. 1, to afford branch connections with the straight, mainportion of the flume, I provide T-shaped sections 42 of the channel.Y-shaped, but otherwise similar, branches, not shown, are also providedfor obliquely extending branch connections. To make the necessaryconnections at the top and bottom of a back slope or shoulder, elbow sections 43 and 44 are provided, respectively of longitudinally convex andconcave shape.

In installing my improved flume, the ditch or other location is shapedto approximately the shape of the flume so that the side edges of thelatter are at about the level of the ground or slightly below thesurrounding ground. The flume is assembled in the ditch and the arcuatetension rods l6 are then placed and inserted in the perforations H andthe cross braces I8 are attached and clamped by applying and tighteningthe nuts I9. As the next operation, stakes 2| are driven into the groundand bolted to the cross bars l8. Similar rods and brace bars l8 areemployed in fastening the baffle walls 23, head walls 30 and outletbasins 31 to the appropriate sections of the channels l2. Upon thetightening of the nuts l9 the several joints are made fast andWater-tight. Finally the back fills l5 are formed on the flanges l4 and39.

These flanges along the side edges of the channels l2 afford wideshoulders or shelves to receive the fills l5, which are preferablysodded to retain them in place and to insure the prompt The baiile walls23 may be placed at suitable intervals of from about ten to eighty feet.These bafile walls should be placed on the upper surfaces of the lowersections at the joints so that the upper sections may be placed inposition easily and the joints completed by employing the tension rods"5. The top or overlapping channel section is applied over the tensionrod so as to afiord the necessary downstream lap. The brace bars [8 areconstructed from heavy gauge sheet steel, rolled to give adequaterigidity and to provide the flat bearing surfaces for the flume andstakes. The latter may have a similar cross-sectional shape.

My improved flume and ditch lining has been found to be unusuallyeffective in controlling the flow of water along newly graded roads andrequires very little maintenance or repair work because of my improvedmeans for preventing Washouts or undermining at the several points wherethis is likely to occur under the various conditions found in practice.It will be noted that the flume proper has no perforations for bolts orother fastening means in the path of the water along the flume andwater-tight joints are formed between sections by pressing theoverlapping members together tightly in the embrace of the tension rodsl6. By minimizing perforations, I guard against much of the usualdeterioration from corrosion and rusting of the metal around the boltholes which cannot, except at great expense, be protected bygalvanizing, as in the case of the main surfaces of the sheet metal. Myarrangement of the tension rods l6 secures the further importantadvantage of greatly facilitating the work of making the connections atthe outer and lower surfaces which are inaccessible for the applicationof ordinary fastening means.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protectby Letters Patent is:

1. A flume for conducting surface water comprising, an open channelformed from sheet metal, integral flanges extending continuously from.end to end of said channel and projecting substantially below and fromthe side edges of the same to be imbedded in the earth, said flangesbeing of such width and sufficiently imbedded to prevent the underminingof said channel by surface Water and means for anchoring said channel inthe earth.

2. A flume for conducting surface water comprising, an open channelformed from sheet metal, integral flanges extending continuously fromend to end of said channel and projecting obliquely down and laterallyfrom the side edges of the same to be imbedded in the earth and todirect water into said channel and means extending across said channeland downward at the sides thereof for anchoring it in the earth.

3. A flume for conducting surface water comprising, an open channelformed from sheet metal, integral flanges extending continuously fromend to end of said channel and projecting laterally out and down fromthe side edges of the same to be imbedded in the earth and affording abaflle to guard against the undermining of the channel, rigid barsengaging the top of the channel and flanges, means securing said flangesto said bars and means for anchoring said bars in the earth.

4. A flume for use in newly graded earth comprising, an open channelformed from sheet metal, integral flanges extending continuously fromend to end of said channel and projecting from the side edges of thesame to be imbedded in the earth, rigid bars engaging the top of saidchannel at intervals and anchoring stakes driven intothe earth andsecured to said bars.

5, A flume for use in newly graded earth comprising, an open channelformed from sheet metal, integral flanges extending continuously fromend toend of said channel and projecting laterally from the side edgesof the same to be imbedded in the earth, longitudinally spaced beadsextending across said channel, rigid bars engaging the top of saidchannel above said beads and anchoring stakes driven into the earth andsecured to said bars.

6. In a flume of the class described, open, channel-shaped, sheet metalsections having overlapping ends, fianges extending along the side edgesof said sections to be imbedded in the earth said flanges projectingdown. and laterally from the upper edges of said sections, and means forsecuring said sections together at their junction comprising, a tensionrod embracing the outer surface of the joint, a rigid bar extend ngacross the top of the sections at the joint, said bar being perforatedto receive the ends of said rod and means for tensioning said rod inengagement with said bar and with the overlapping ends of said sections.

7. A flume for conducting surface water comprising, an open channel oflaterally arcuate shape formed from sheet metal, integral flangesextending continuously along the side edges of said channel to beimbedded in the earth, inwardly projecting beads formed in said channeland extending across the same, rigid bars engaging the top of saidchannel, severally above said beads, tension rods embracing the channelin the several beads, said flanges and bars being perforated to receivethe ends of said rods, means engaging said bars for tensioning said rodsand anchoring stakes secured to said bars.

8. In a flume, an open sheet metal channel formed with flanges extendingcontinuously along the side edges thereof to be embodied in the earth, abafile wall formed from sheet metal and projecting down into the earthbeneath said channel and across the same, said wall having an upper edgefitting the bottom of the channel, means securing said edge to thechannel and wing portions of said wall projecting from the side edgesthereof and obliquely from the sides of said channel to guard againstthe undermining of the channel by surface water, said wing portionsprojecting above said flanges on the channel and being slotted toreceive said flanges.

ROBERT ADLER.

